Situation in J&K to improve in few days: Centre

NEW DELHI: The Centre on Friday told the Supreme Court that the situation in Jammu and Kashmir will improve over the next few days.

The submission came before a bench headed by Chief Justice Ranjan Gogoi who was hearing various petitions related to the Kashmir issue.

Attorney General K.K. Venugopal said that petitioners must not jump the gun to come to a conclusion and that there was a complete communication lockdown in the Kashmir Valley.

The government said the ground situation was being reviewed daily.

"I have read in the media that restrictions on landline and broadline are likely to be removed by the evening today," the CJI said, while taking up a plea filed by Kashmir Times Executive Editor Anuradha Bhasin seeking relaxation of curbs on journalists to move in the Valley and on the communication shutdown.

Venugopal countered Bhasin by saying that restrictions had been eased and the Kashmir Times was publishing its edition from Jammu without any curbs.

He said that the petition appeared to be motivated.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta seconded Venugopal on the security situation in the Valley.

"Security agencies are taking stock of the situation and the court must trust its agencies," Mehta said.

The top court has adjourned the matter putting on record that petitions were defective on technical aspects.

The court said that these petitions will be listed next week after the order of the Chief Justice on the administrative side.

The Supreme Court also reprimanded advocate M.L. Sharma for filing a frivolous application opposing the Centre's decision to revoke Article 370 of the Constitution that gave special status to Jammu and Kashmir.

A bench headed by Chief Justice Gogoi said: "Your petition is not maintainable. I tried reading it for half an hour but could not make sense of it."

The CJI also pulled up Kashmiri advocate Shabir Shakil for filing a similar defective application.

The bench identified that petitions on Jammu and Kashmir had one or another defect.